Residents who like to shop local will get the opportunity to visit more than 20 vendors at the Fayetteville Winter Farmers Market once a month starting in November.
Currently, the Fayetteville Farmers Market is in its second year of hosting a weekly summer market, but interest in buying local during the other months helped drive the expansion to include a winter market.
“We did it because many of the customers showed an interest in coming if we got one set up,” said Stephanie Lipsey, market manager and owner of Drover Hill Farms. “I think it’s going to be good for both the vendors and the customers … There’s a very diversified group of products being offered.”
The winter market will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month from November through April in the Shoppes at Towne Center, next to L.L. Bean, in Fayetteville. Items from the vendors will include fresh locally-grown greens and produce, baked goods, crafts, coffee, meats, cheese, eggs and more.
While there will be the addition of a few new vendors offering their products at the winter market, there are many current Fayetteville Farmers Market summer vendors who will be joining the winter marker, including 2 Kids Goat Farm of Cuyler, N.Y., which offers fresh and aged goat and cow cheese, as well as soaps, lotions and lip balms.
“I think it will be good to keep us in the public’s eye,” said Barry Sperat, owner of 2 Kids Goat Farm. “Local farms still have products in the winter months and I think this will be a great way to get it to the customers.”
Sperat said his farm is planning on offering more cow products, which will be offered at the monthly winter market.
Lipsey said she is grateful to the current tenants in the Shoppes at Town Center for being so helpful in allowing the market to be held in that location, which includes King Davids, Towne Center Fitness Studios and Everybody Bras.
In this first winter season, Lipsey said she wanted to hold the market monthly to see how it goes and see if it can expand from there.
“I hope for it to be a community place for people to come and enjoy themselves,” said Lipsey. “There’s an alcove where people can sit down and enjoy lunch. I think that will help make the winter market a place for social gathering”
The first Fayetteville Farmers Winter Market will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at the Shoppes at Towne Center in Fayetteville. To learn more about the Fayetteville Farmers Market, visit fayettevillefarmersmarketcny.com.
